Biographical Sketch of Charles R. Nourse
Charles R. Nourse, born in St. Louis on December 27, 1864, was raised in Ohio and later became a prominent figure in manufacturing in Illinois. After his family moved to Cleveland and Springfield, he began his career as a bookkeeper in the children’s carriage industry. He worked with the United Engineering and Foundry Company for eleven years before overseeing the Standard Oil Cloth Company plant in Rock Island. A dedicated Masonic member and Republican, Nourse married Rose J. Henry in 1884 and has one son, Robert.